Air Tour Virtual Meeting

"Jim" wrote in message ...
"Peter Duniho" wrote in message
What do you mean? Nothing about the new rule-making appears to affect
holders of Private certificates at all.

The proposal would raise the minimum number of hours required for private
pilots conducting charity fundraising flights from 200 to 500

Private pilots don't have any
specific allowance for making sightseeing flights within 25 miles of the
departure airport, though of course they can make a sightseeing flight of
arbitrary length as long as they are not taking money beyond those allowed
in the "sharing" rules.

But Commercial pilots do. This rule would remove the exemption listed in
part 119 that allows commercial pilots to conduct 25nm sightseeing flights
without haveing to establish and meet the requirements of a part 119/135
operation.
a.. FAA estimates that the proposed rule could affect approximately 1,670
operators with 3,100 aircraft currently providing commercial air tour
flights under Part 91.
b.. The FAA estimates that about 700 Part 91 operators currently providing
sightseeing flights will elect to stop providing the service.
Jim Burns III

Vintage plane ride operators have brought a public awareness/education
web site online regarding this NPRM:

http://www.planeride.info

The comment period closes on 19 April. FAA refused to hold public
meetings so Congress has schedule hearings on the 30th of March.

This does effect private pilots. In the past, a charity could apply
for an exemption and conduct sightseeing rides in exchange for a
donation. Private pilots were allowed to do these rides providing
that they had 200 hours total time. The FAA is proposing in this
convoluted rule to increase the total time required to 500 hours,
eliminating a lot of pilots from the pool of ones willing to do these
types of flights. This will have a severe effect on charities.

Vintage plane ride operators and others stand to loose their
businesses and aircraft prices will be depressed further when a flood
of no longer needed aircraft come onto the market. The FAA
themseleves estimate that 700 businesses will close if this rule goes
into effect.

Rick Pellicciotti, Memphis, TN